Vehicle.



PATENTED JULY 18, 1905.

T. WILSON.

VEHICLE.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 1v. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

fNVENOH .mamas z'Zo-an/ ATTORNEYS l v n cam/mm, mmuunlocnawru wnsuwzmmu L PATBNTED JULY 18, 1905.

T. WILSON.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION funn SEPT. 11. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/N VE N TOF? @was www W/TNESSESl NITED STATES Patented July 18, 1905.

THOMAS WILSON, OF LEWISTOWN, MONTANA.

VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. l795,086, dated July 18, 1905.

Application filed September 17, 1904:. Serial No. 224,811.

T0 /LZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS VVILsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lewistown, in the county of Fergus and State of Montana, have invented a new and Improved Vehicle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to vehicles, and particularly to sleighs. Its principal object is to provide an automobile vehicle of this character which will operate satisfactorily under varying conditions of surface over which it is to be propelled.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a top plan view of one embodiment of my invention, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the shoes and a portion of its thrust-bar with a part of the shoe broken away. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the shoe. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another form of thrust-bar. Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of one of the forward runners of the sleigh. Fig. 8 is a similar view of one of the rear runners. Fig. 9 shows in perspective one of the reduced engaging projections for the shoes. Fig. 10 is a similar View -of an extended engaging projection. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a shoe having another arrangement of engaging projections. Fig. 12 is a detail in perspective of the connecting mechanism between the operating-lever and retaining members for the front runners. Fig. 13 is a detail in side elevation, showing the manner of attaching the thrust-bars to the cross-heads; and Fig. 14 illustrates in side elevation the retaining members for the rear runners.

10 designates the body of a vehicle, which as here illustrated is provided with pairs of relatively fixed rear runners 11 11 and front runners 12 12, the latter being connected to move together about a king-bolt13 for the purpose of steering. Carried upon the front runners about the king-bolt is a gear 14, with which meshes a pinion 15, fixed upon a steering-spindle 16, rotatably mounted in the flooring of the body and having upon its upper end a hand-wheel 17 or the like situated adjacent to the seat 18 of the vehicle and by which said vehicle may be steered.

Journaled in suitable hangers 18, depending from the under side of the body, is a power-shaft 19, from which radiate cranks 20, a portion of which are connected by rods 21 with a suitable engine 22-of the explosive type, for example-which is hung upon the bottom of the vehicle and is preferably surrounded by a casing 24. The power-shaft is shown as provided with the usual iiy-wheel 24a. Others of the cranks of the power-shaft are joined by rods 25 to cross-heads 26, mounted to reciprocate in guides 27, these cross-heads as here illustrated operating in pairs, the two center ones moving rearwardly, while those upon the opposite sides move forwardly. Upon the under side of each crosshead is a pair of lugs 28, connected by a pin 29, and at the front of this pin is a wall 30, preferably having an inclined or curved inner face. Articulated upon each pin 29 is a link or thrust-bar 31, having a slot 32 through which the pin extends. the length of said slot being sufficient to allow the link to cooperate at its upper end with the inclined wall. Pivoted upon the lower end of each link by means of lugs 33 is a propelling-shoe 34, preferably provided with upwardly-curved forward and rear ends 35. Secured upon the lower face of each of these shoes are engaging projections or oalks, of which Figs. 3 and 4 show two (designated by the numerals 36 36) as eX- tended across the width of the shoe and serving to insure a good hold upon such a surface as comparatively soft snow. Between these extended projections is a reduced or pointed projection 37, which not only has some propelling effect in soft material, but also insures proper engagement when the surface with which the shoes coact is hard or crusted snow or ice.

Each projection or calk has at its upper side a threaded shank 38, which is made into the shoe and is preferably provided with an inclined forward face at 39, which facilitates forward movement. All the projections are located considerably nearer the forward ends of the shoes than the rear. In Fig. ll another form of engaging projection is illustrated, which is particularly adapted for use upon closely-packed snow, crust, or ice. These are numbered 4() and have sharp points which readily enter a hard surface. They may be mounted upon a plate 41, which is secured in a recess in the under side of the shoe by a bolt 42. All the projections are located considerably nearer the forward end of the shoes than the rear, so that they are beneath and receive thedirect thrust of the bars. Instead of a comparatively heavy thrust-bar 3l a yieldable or elastic bar 42a (shown in Fig. 5) may be employed. This is preferably formed of spring-steel and is somewhat curved, so that when the thrust of its cross-head comes upon it it will bend, producing a smoother and more effective movement and being particularly adapted for light vehicles and use upon hard surfaces, such as ice.

Each of the runners is shown as provided with members for retaining the vehicle against sidewise movement, and, when desired, against longitudinal movement as well, this latter producing a braking effect. For this purpose a spindle 43 passes through each runner and has mounted upon it just outside and inside the runner levers 44, which are joined at their upper ends by a bar 45. Upon the front runners these levers are shown as all of the same form, they having extended edges 46, which when brought into engagement with the surface over which the sleigh is moving will prevent its skidding or sliding sidewise, as upon hillsides or when rounding corners at consid V erable speed. The bars 45 of the levers of the front runners are connected by links 48 with arms 49, depending from a shaft 50,

mounted to rotate in hangers 50, depending' from an upper bar of the runners. Fast upon the shaft 50 is an arm 5l, which is connected by a link 52 with an arm 53, projecting from a shaft 54, which is journaled in hangers 55, extending from the body of the vehicle. The connection between the link 52 and the arms 5l and 53 is by means of universal joints 56, and this,with the location of the link in a position directly beneath the king-bolt, enables the runners to be turned freely for steering the vehicle without disturbing the operative relation of the connecting system. The shaft 54 also has secured to it an arm 57, which is connected by a link 58 with an arm 58a, projecting from a crossshaft 58, carrying a lever 59, which extends into proximity with the seat. It may be retained in position by a ratchet-sector and cooperating latch 60. Thus when the driver desires to prevent lateral movement of the vehicle he has only to draw this lever 59 from him, which forces the edges 46 of the levers into the snow or ice and prevents this, while advance is still permitted.

One of each pair of levers mounted upon the rear runners (it being here shown as the inner) has the extended edge 46, previously described and useful in the performance of the same function, while the other lever of each pair at the outside of the runner has a reduced end 61, which occupies a higher position than its companion, so that it will come later into coaction with the supporting-surface. The bars 45 of these levers are connected by links 62 with arms 63, fast upon a shaft 64, rocking in hangers 65, depending from the body. The shaft 64 also carries an arm 66, which is joined through a rod 67 with a lever 68, mounted adjacent to the lever 59 and in a similar manner, it having suitable ratchet-latch mechanism 69. The effect of the movement of this last-named lever is to first bring the extended edges 46 into operation, and thus prevent the skidding of the rear portion of the sleigh, as has been previously described. Then if it is desired to exert a brake effect the lever is drawn farther over, forcing the sharp ends 6l into the supportingsurface and checking the advance of the vehicle.

It will be seen that when the power-shaft is rotated by the associated motor or otherwise the cross-heads will be reciprocated in their guides and the inclined faces forced against the upper ends of the thrust-bars. This not only presses these downwardly and rearwardly on account of the inclined position of the bars, but also exerts an upward pressure, causing the bars to act about the pins as fulcrums and press the engaging projections into still more firm contact with the snow or ice. This thrust advances the Vehicle, the shoes acting alternately in pairs, thus producing a steady forward movement. As the bars are drawn forwardly the projections are disengaged from the supporting-surface both by virtue of the upward inclination of the bars and, if this feature be used, the inclination of the forward faces of the engaging projections. The steering of the vehicle and its retention against either lateral movement or advance will be obvious from the previous description.

Although the power shaft has been described as rotated by means of an explosiveengine, it will be obvious that any convenient motor may be employed or if the vehicle be suficiently light hand-operated mechanism used to effect the driving of the shaft. Furthermore, any number of shoes may be used to secure propulsion, this depending upon the IIO size of the vehicle and other varying conditions.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination with a vehicle, of a power-shaft, a cross-head connected with the power-shaft, an elastic bar pivoted upon the cross-head, and a propellingshoe pivoted upon the bar.

2. The combination with a vehicle, of a power-shaft, a cross-head connected with the power-shaft, a bar pivoted upon the crosshead, a propelling-shoe pivoted near its forward end upon the bar, and engaging projections situated upon the under side of the shoe and all of which are nearer the forward than the rear end of said shoe.

3. The combination with a Vehicle, of a power-shaft, a cross-head connected with the power-shaft, a'bar pivoted upon the crosshead, a propelling-shoe pivoted near its forward end upon the bar, and engaging projections having inclined forward faces and being situated upon the under side of the shoe, all of which projections are nearer the forward than the rear end of saidshoe.

4. The combination with a vehicle, of a power-shaft, a cross-head connected with the power-shaft, a bar pivoted upon the crosshead, a propelling-shoe pivoted upon the bar, and engaging projections situated upon the under side of the shoe, one of said projections being extended across the shoe and another having a reduced end.

5. The combination with a vehicle, of a power-shaft, a cross-head having a pin and an inclined face, a thrust-bar provided with a slot engaging the pin, said bar coacting with the inclined face, and a shoe mounted upon the bar.

6. The combination with a vehicle-body, of runners, propelling mechanism, and retaining mechanism situated at opposite sides of the runners, one of said retaining members having an extended engaging portion and another having a reduced engaging portion.

7. The combination with a vehicle-body having movable steering-runners, of a retaining member movable upon said runners, an operating-lever fulcrumed upon the body, and means for connecting the retaining member and lever whereby the steering movement of the runners is permitted.

8. The combination with a vehicle-body having movable steering-runners, of a retaining member movable upon said runners, an operatinglever fulcrumed upon the body, means for connecting the retaining member and lever including shafts rotatable upon the body and runners, arms lixed to the shafts, and a universally-movable link connecting the arms.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS WILSON.

Witnesses:

DAVID HERMAN, S. W. HARLIMAN. 

